Cristóbal lives with his family in very poor conditions in El Alto, Bolivia. His mother takes care of Cristobal and his two siblings and the household. His father’s meager salary as a bricklayer is just enough to survive.
When Cristóbal was born with a cleft lip and palate, his parents didn’t know what to do next. They had no money for the operation and no support from the rest of the family, who blamed Cristóbal’s mother for her son being born with a deformity. Cristóbal’s parents were very sad and the desperation grew day by day. At the clinic where Cristóbal was born, his parents were not given any information about his cleft lip and palate or treatment options, nor were the couple’s family available to support them.
But Cristóbal’s story takes a turn for the better: When Cristóbal was five months old, his parents heard about our partner organization Jiwaqui Bolivia. Our surgeon Dr. Mamani first closed his cleft lip and four months later also closed his cleft palate. Today there is no visible trace left of him having been born with a cleft.
A new life for Cristóbal
Since the first operation, Cristóbal and his parents have continued to receive care from our psychologists and speech therapists. Today he is two and a half years old and, thanks to our local partners and thanks to our donors, he can lead a completely normal life without the serious health effects of an untreated cleft lip and palate.
We are happy about this happy ending for Cristóbal and his family! Every month we help hundreds of families like Cristóbal’s get their children the treatment they need. Please consider helping us with your donation, so that we can continue doing this!
